While in Maren
by OrionLuckyStar
Summary: Sheekoto, princess of Tortall longs to prove herself.After a summer stay with Kel she runs from her gaurds and joins a merchantgroup.But things go wrong, she becomes a slave for the prince of Maren,will she ever see home again?RR rating subject to change
1. Prolog

**Things that you will need to know...**

If your reading this and you know nothing about Tortall, well then you need to get a clue. However if you are reading this and you know nothing about Maren then I shall tell you what has been reviled to me...

**Maren:** a large, powerful country east of Tusaine and Tyra; the grain basket of the Eastern lands,  
with plenty of farms and trade.

So as you can see that is very non-explanatory about it. And to my knowledge there is no further mention of this country in any of the books. (If you look in the Lioness books you can see part of it on a map.)

Every thing else you will find out from my story... if there is some where in the books where it mentions Maren then please tell me where that is, unless it says something about it then I have the right to make it want it to be... now on to the  
**.:Prolog**

Sheekoto cursed her self for the thousandth time over, cursing her self will, her wanting to prove that she could do something on her own. She couldn't have just stuck to the plan, stayed with her guard's who were there to protect her. 'NnnOooo' she said, pushing a strand of her jet black waist length hair away from her piercing sapphire blue eyes. This in turn caused her so slow her stride, and then earned the ropes that bound her hands a sharp yank, nearly making her 5'7" frame to topple into the mud. Cursing her self again, this time in Yamani, half of the words she wasn't supposed to know but that didn't stop her form knowing them.

Sheekoto, Koto to friends and family, had just returned from her summer stay with Keladry of Midland. The first known lady knight in over a century, well that was when she started out, so far there had been two lady knights after her. Sir Fianola of Tellerun(**1**), and Sir Tiami of Mountainpeek(**2**), that made four lady knights in total with Sir Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau. Not to count her friend Jezzaki, Jezz for short, of Queenscove(**3**) who was to take her Ordeal next midwinter.

But living in the Yamani Islands for most her childhood Kel knew bunches of swear words from the guards, not to mention knowledge of there beautiful weapons. Of course her mother being a Yamani Princess before Tortallan Queen had the same knowledge if not even more, but they never got a chance to enter into a real discussion about it. With the little time they got to spend with each other was spent talking about their day, and plans for the next. And with those last thoughts she went back to cursing her self once again.

Being a Princess of Tortall allowed her certain rights, one of which was an armed guard and escort. As youngest in her family the only thing that she could do was go to the balls, mayhap's fall in love, or be used in a alliance or what not. She had wanted to do something more with her life, didn't want to wait around for her future to be decided for her. Koto had tried to talk her father into letting her train to be a knight, but being a princess the most that she could do was train with them and learn there skills. In one of her desperate attempts toprove to... well herself... that she could do something on her own she had foolishly ran away from her guards determined to make herway back to Corus on her own.

Joining a Merchant tavern near Goldenlake, they had made there way towards Corus. As her luck would have it the very next day there band was attacked by bandits, the merchants tried to defend them self's but it was of little use. Unlike most, these bandits were all trained in the art of combat.

* * *

**Flashback**

"Bandits!" Somebody yelled from the back of the Caravan, heads turned to see a group of nearly, thirty bandits on hours back galloping towards them. There was a sudden spurt of noise and bustle as every one went to grab a sword or some weapon to defend them self's with. Sheekoto along with them, much to everyone's surprise, grabbed a sword and took a defensive position along with those who were to fight.

The bandits struck with a head on assault, effectively cutting there defenses in half. Koto watched as she saw what should have been a slow drawn out battle swiftly become a slaughter. She found herself being attacked by one, surprising him greatly when she was able to block his blow. However Koto was more surprised than he when he quickly recovered and attacked with the agility of a well trained warrior. They traded blows both watching each other for a weakness when Koto felt a sharp pain in her shoulder effectively sending herto her knees, making an effort to look behind her she felt another pain, then she saw black. (4)  
**End of Flashback**

* * *

A/N:

1- the books only described Fianola as a noble girl so I got Tellerun from the name of a river.

2- I made the name up just for shit's and giggles.

3- supposed to be Neal's daughter

4- I'm sorry if Sheekoto seems weak at this point but you cant have and adventure if the main character doesn't get into some kind of trouble... so yeah, she really is a good fighter and thus will be shown latter in my story.

So sorry for the abrupt ending but it is only the prolog and I have the first chappie nearly finished, so look for an up-date at the end of this week. Please **R&R**


	2. Bound And Sold

Disclaimer: recognize it... it's not mine... if you don't, you either need to re-read the books, or its mine... y'all's gots' that? Good cause if I owned it I would be rich. Dam all those bloody brilliant people.  
Recap: Sheekoto (Koto, or when I feel like it Shee), is the third child of Roald & Shinkoka. She wants to be a knight but as princess isn't allowed. She went to spent the summer with Kel, on her way back she slips away from her guards to prove to her self that she could do something on her own. The merchant group that she joined was ambushed, while fighting Koto is knocked out. When she wakes up she finds that she has been taken prisoner.  
Thus our story begins... I will do flashbacks so that you can see how things are connected but that won't be until later. (FYI this is her second time waking up, not her first)

* * *

.:Chapter One:.

* * *

When Sheekoto woke again it was to the feel of a hard stone floor beneath her, cold from the nights chill. Slowly opening her eyes she struggled to remember where she was. Taking in her surrounding four stone walls and the other women and children it hit her like a bucket of ice water. Groaning she closed her eyes and set her head atop her arm, willing her self to be back in her set of rooms in Tortall's palace. No such luck would be hers. Cursing herself a thousand times over for sneaking away from her guards, she could have been safe in Masbolle by now. 'But no, Sheekoto had to prove that she could do something on her own', bitterly she remembered the foolish reasons that had led to this mess.

The clanging of metal jarred her from her thoughts, looking up her gaze was met by three guards with whips. All were tall, muscular, and had broad shoulders, though the middle one was the largest and most demeaning. Upon further scrutiny she saw that while the middle one had brown hair the others were blonds, that however was the end of there differences. They all wore the same determined scowl that promised pain at the first misstep.

"All right slaves get up." the middle guard demanded, obviously the ring leader. Slowly the women got on to their feet careful not to take their eyes off the men who now had a firm hold on their whips. "Hurry up we haven't got all day," he barked. "Now I want you to form a line as you reach the door I will tell you to go right or left, you will then be bound. If you think to resist then we'll see if we cant find something to persuade you." he said while fondly stroking his whip.

All the women hastened to get in line and do as they were bid. Koto chose a spot between the middle and the end so as to drawl the least attention to herself. The line moved quickly enough as the guard said 'left' and 'right'. Most of the young women who as far as Koto could guess were anywhere from sixteen to twenty six were sent to the left, while the older women and girls were sent to the right.

"Left, right, right, right, left …stop!" the guard suddenly shouted. Everyone froze in place. "You," he said pointing to the woman in front of him, "back in the cell." She scurried back into the cell looking as confused as the rest of the ladies still in line felt. The line started to move again, "left, right, left, left, cell," he shouted again. "Left, left, right," it continued on and on. By the time he was done most had gone to the left, there being only a few older women and young girls. Sheekoto however was left in the cell with three other girls, all of whom seemed to be foreign.

"You four, make a line at the door." He said to them as the two other groups were led away. Quickly they did what they were told, while careful not to turn there backs to him as they saw that he was fingering his whip again. Once lined up the guard quickly bound there hands and told them to 'shut up' and follow him.

They followed him down a dark hallway lit by a few scattered torches. It seemed like hours before he led them through the final door and they found that they had entered what looked to be the towns market. Koto sneaked a few glances hear and there while discreetly testing her bonds, just hoping that they would be lose enough for her to slip. As fate would have it the guard seemed to have experience in binding hands together.

Sheekoto continued to observe her surroundings as the women were forced to follow behind the guard. Koto was startled to find that the market was affluent with several different cultures, Shee saw several people who had skin only like that that she had seen in Yaman. Many of the merchant booths held cloths, spices and weapons that she had never knew existed.

Her examinations were unfortunately interrupted when the guard yanked on the ropes, causing the girls to stumble. "Move faster," he snapped, "the auction will be starting any moment and if were late then you can be sure that you'll feel the punishment in you backsides. Together the four girls quickened their pace, least he make good on his threat.

Following their pull they found themselves dragged through the upper market, and onto a stage that held several other frightened girls upon it. All of which happened to be foreign, Koto thought as she studied their various skin colorings. Looking off the stage she saw that it was set up in front of a crowed with one block in the center.

Things were suddenly becoming very clear to Sheekoto; among those were: 1) she was not any where near Tortall or for that fact any other country that she had ever visited. And most importantly 2) though she had already knew this, it became immensely clear that she was about to be sold to some one as their slave. After that realization only one thought remained in her head and that was, 'I'm in deep shit'

Scanning the crowd in front of her Koto saw what she guessed to be ranking nobles, and the servants of even higher ranking nobles. Felling very much like a hours for sell. For the first time in her life Koto cursed her flawless skin and perfectly toned muscles which gave her the idle figure (or so she'd been told). Turning ever so slightly, she tilted her head in such a way that her hair was now shielding her face from the crowd.

"Line up slaves!" a new guard shouted his cold hard eyes letting no emotion shoe, shattering most the calm that the other girls had been attempting to keep. Sheekoto found her self being pushed none to gently somewhere towards the middle of the new line. Then one by on the girls were led, or dragged in some cases, to the center block. Most were allowed to step off only a minuet after they had stepped on, though some were made to stand up on the block for as long as five minuets and were made to turn this way and that.

When it was Sheekoto's 'turn' to go up onto the box although she walked up with out complaint the guard tugged on her binds making her stumble. Regaining her balance she straightened her back and shoulders, lifted her head in such a way that she would have back home in court. Regally she stepped onto the box as if it were a throne that she had concord. Keeping her eyes just above the crowd, she made sure that everything in her posture and body language screamed that she was better than them, or from their point of view that she thought she was better than them.

Someone, one of the guards was muttering behind her, and then she heard them moving around. From the corner of her eye Koto saw the brown haired guard who had brought her and the three other girls to the auction step forward with his whip hanging freely from his fingers. As if watching things in slow motion she saw him raise the whip and bring it down with a deafening crack. Quick as light Koto back flipped off the box and onto the stage behind it landing just in time to see the whip crack against the box where she had stood only moments before.

Silence flittered across the audience as Sheekoto slowly raised her head to look at the guard. His shocked expression slowly turned to one of rage as he lifted the whip to strike again. Koto rolled to her left putting her just beyond the reach of the whip. The guard advance cracking the whip down again instead of retreating Koto lifted her hands and let the whip curl around the ropes that bound her hands together. Not a second later she yanked her hands back towards her body forcing the whip out of the hands of a very startled guard. Shee slowly unwound the whip from her bounds, turning on her heal she returned to her spot in the middle of the line.

Someone picked up the whip from the middle of the stage and returned it to its owner who leveled her with a glare that could kill if it had been a knife. Muttering curses and giving her a very rude gesture he stalked off the stage and Koto hoped away from the auction. Slowly the line began to move again as the remaining girls were paraded up onto the block and then pushed back into the line. By the time every girl had been up on the block and back forty-five minuets had passed.

The guards then came through the line and spread them out so that they were each a foot apart. "You will each answer any question directed towards you." Snapped one of the guards as he walked in front of the line of girls, "Stay in your spots unless you are told to move, if you move more than five feet then you will be whipped." He said this while eyeing Sheekoto evilly. Koto shivered involuntarily as he made her skin crawl under his gaze.

There were only a few people let up the stage to start with. Shee had a felling that they were either the highest ranking nobles/nobles servants or that they had paid the most to have first pick of the 'cattle' or 'broad mares'. There was one man in particular who stood apart from the rest. He was dressed in a fine green emerald tunic and although he was most definitely a servant, the way that he examined the girls made it look like he was judging their character rather than their hips and breasts. And unlike others who took advantage of most the girls fear and used the opportunity to grope them, he simply stood back calculating each ones movement and reaction to the other buyers.

As Sheekoto watched the man walked up and down the line several times assessing each of the women. He stopped quite suddenly in front of her, "You," he said while pointing in her direction, "Come here." Slowly Koto took two steps forward, glancing up only slightly to judge his intentions. From far away he looked taller but now up close she could see that he was only a inch or two taller than herself. He had dark brown almost black hair pulled back into a ponytail, lowering her gaze once more she saw that he was not as broad as he was heavy although he was not fat. And even though he was a good fifty pounds heaver than she, Koto had no doubt that if she ran and he wanted to catch her then he would. Putting a hand under her chin he forced her to eyes to look into his, surprisingly warm and almost father like brown, eyes. Tilting her head from side to side he studied her jaw line, making note of the white scar just below and in front of her right ear.

Turning her face back so he could see her face she meet his gaze with what could only be taken as a challenge. Taking a step back he smiled. "How are you called?" he asked.

Koto drew her self up and straightened her shoulders and with a hint of defiance in her voice she replied, "my name is Sheekoto."

At her reply his smile broadened, "Excellent." He declared, as if she had just passed some test. Turning to the guards he began to barter for her price, in the end Koto was dismayed to find that she was only worth twenty-three gold nobles. After the exchange took place (it seemed to be a sign to the others that it was ok to make their own purchases.), he was handed the rope which 'still' bound her hands together, much to her dismay, and lead her off the platform and to a new group of guards which were dressed with the same shade emerald as this black haired man.

"Come" he said, "we must make the rest of our purchases and be back at the palace within the hour."

* * *

Wow i cant belive that i started this like a year ago... so sorry that i never up-dated i found this just last week in my notebook and thought... 'i should proboly post this.'... so here it is hope that you all liked it. Please R&R, and note that this story will most likly be changed from 'T' to an 'M' rating... 

P.S. im going to go back to the prolog and change Sheekoto's nick name from 'Koko' to 'Koto' like i did in this chapter.


End file.
